Electric-circuit-closing device



(No Model.)

G. NEWMAN. ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE.

No. 600,969. Patented Mar. 22,1898.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE NEWMAN, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

y ELECTRlC-ClRCUlT-CLOSING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,969, dated March 22, 1898.

Application filed September 27, 1897. Serial No. 653,270. (No model.)

have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Electric-Oircuit-Olosing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

My invention relates to improvements in electric-circuit-closingdevices, and has especial reference to keys for turning on the current in incandescent lamps and for similar devices.

The use of incandescent electric lamps in hotels has become so common that matches are no longer provided in the rooms of the hotel for lighting gas. It very often happens that a person arriving at a hotel lighted entirely by electricity andtaking a room there in the daytime omits to notice the location of the switches or keys for lighting the electric lamps or the push-buttons for calling the attendant. On returning in the evening when the room is dark he is unable to light the room, not knowing the location of the lamp-key, or to call an attendant, not knowing the location of the push-button. The object of my invention has been to obviate the inconvenience thus occasioned.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a room, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved device detached. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the san1e,-and Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modification.

1 represents an incandescent lamp, and 2 the key for turning on the current therefor. Said key has in each face a recess 3, having undercut or beveled edges 4, and in said recess is inserted a small plate of glass 5, on the under side of which is deposited a coating of any suitable phosphorescent or luminous paint 6. The surface of the key is still further cut away, as shown at 7, so as to leave a space between the surface of the paint and that of the material of the key. The glass plate 5 is then secured to the key by any suitable means, as by screws 8. With this construction the luminous paint is so disposed as to be preserved from the deleterious action of moisture and will preserve its peculiar property for an indefinite length of time.

An electric-lighting device of this character is believed to be far preferable to the ordinary electric-lamp key, and it can be manufactured at a comparatively small cost.

A similar construction is desirable to any circuit-closing device in a dark room, such as the key or switch 9. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim An electric-circuit-closing device having in the face exposed to View and contact a recess, and in said recess a plate of transparent material coated on the under side with luminous or phosphorescent paint, said recess being so configured that said paint is maintained out of contact with the surface of the recess, substantially as described.

Signed this 2d day of September, 1897.

GEORGE NEWMAN.

Witnesses: o

F. M. WRIGHT, J. A. BAYLESS. 

